Tracked air-cushion vehicle or like machine powered by linear induction motor

ABSTRACT

A tracked air-cushion vehicle powered by a linear induction motor whose armature is incorporated in a laterally offset, upward extension of the guideway over which the body portion of said vehicle moves at a distance from said extension, said body portion carrying, in outside projection, the inductor of said motor and a guiding device engaging the opposite faces of said extension.

. United States Patent lnventor Jean Henri Bertin Neullly-sur-Selne. France Appl. No. 782.801 Filed Dec. 11, 1968 Patented Nov. 9, 1971 Assignee Bertln & Cle

Plnislr. France Priority Apr. 29, 1968 France 149.968

TRACKED AIR-CUSHION VEHICLE 0R LIKE MACHINE POWERED BY LINEAR INDUCTION MOTOR 2 China, 5 Drawing Figs.

U.S. C1 104/23 FS, 104/134.104/148 LM Int. Cl. 1361b 13/04. B601 9/00 Field 01 Search 104/23 FS;

Primary Examiner-Arthur L. La Point Assislun! Examiner-D. W. Keen Arrorney- Stevens. Davis, Miller & Mosher ABSTRACT: A tracked air-cushion vehicle powered by a linear induction motor whose armature is incorporated in a laterally offset. upward extension of the guideway over which the body portion of said vehicle moves at a distance from said extension. said body portion carrying. in outside projection. the inductor of said motor and a guiding device engaging the opposite faces of said extension.

new r2 2' TRACKED AIR-CUSHION VEHICLE OR LIKE MACHINE POWERED BY LINEAR INDUCTION MOTOR This invention relates to ground-effect machines movable along a track with the interposition of fluid cushions and moved by motors which are advantageously of the sliding field polyphase type, known as linear motors, which generally comprise a stationary armature consisting of at least one track extension made of a conductive material, and a movable inductor formed by coils carrying an advantageously polyphase electric current and borne by structures registering with the two opposite surfaces of the track extension.

A machine of this type may be guided by pressure fluid cushions disposed between the structures cooperating with the opposite surfaces of at least one track extension.

The machine may be braked by means of brakes whose shoes bear on opposite surfaces of at least one track extension.

According to a first embodiment of the invention, just one track extension is used, which will be conductive, in which case the fluid cushions for guidance, the braking shoes and the windings of the linear motors for traction are disposed on each side of the said track extension.

In an alternative embodiment, the track may comprise two separate extensions situated on each sideof a track bearer portion, the opposite surfaces of said extensions then serving for machine guidance, braking and traction.

The motor and the brake may advantageously be rigidly secured to one another and the resulting motor and brake unit may be connected to the machine cabin by telescopic arms allowing variation of location of said cabin relatively to said unit and held in position about the extension by means of pressure fluid cushions, rollers or any other means.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. I is a diagrammatic plan view of one embodiment showing a machine guided on a track;

FIG. 2 is a similar view of a detail to an enlarged scale;

FIG. 3 is a cross section along the line Ill-III in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic plan view of an alternative embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a cross section on the line VV in FIG. 4.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, machine I comprising a cabin 2 is supported above a track 3 by pressure fluid cushions confined in enclosures 4 having advantageously deformable walls.

According to the invention, the machine guide, traction and brake members cooperate with a conductive track extension 5 on one side of which the cabin moves.

The traction members cooperating with said conductive extension 5 consist of electrical coils or windings 6 which surround but do not touch the two substantially vertical surfaces 5a, 5b of the extension and can move with respect thereto. These windings 6 form the movable inductor of a linear motor, the conductive extension 5 of which is the armature.

In the example illustrated, two inductors 6 are disposed near the ends of the machine.

The windings 6 are fed advantageously with polyphase e.g., 3-phase current, by leads 7 originating from the machine. The supply of electrical current to the latter is not shown.

Each winding set 6 is connected to the sidewall 8 of the cabin by arms 9 which are pivotally connected at their ends 11 thereby forming a flexible strutting linkage which allows some freedom in the location of the cabin 2 with respect to each motor set.

The inductors 6 are advantageously guided along the side extension 5 by rollers 12 situated in pairs in register with the opposite surfaces 5a, 5b of the extension. These rollers are carried by supports 13 which also bear jacks l4 situated in register with the surfaces 50, 5b. The jack rods have shoes 15 formed of a material having a high coefficient of friction with respect to the material or materials from which the extension 5 is made. When it is required to slow down or stop the machine, these jacks are controlled via conduits 16 connected to a pressure fluid source (not shown) which is suitably controlled.

The machine is guided by pressure fluid cushions confined in enclosures borne by structures I7 are bounded by advantageously deformable walls 18. These cushions are fed independently via conduits, e. g. 19.

The structures 17 are advantageously connected to the cabin 2 by arms 21 which are pivotally connected at 22 and which may be telescopic and have resilient means (not shown) thereby forming a further flexible strutting linkage which allows some freedom in the location of the cabin 2 with respect to each guiding structure I7.

An arrangement of this type has been given solely by way of example and the machine could be guided by members which guide the windings 6, the latter being resiliently connected, as required, to the sidewall 8 of the cabin.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, a machine 30 with a cabin 31 is supported by a track 32 through the agency of pressure fluid cushions confined in enclosures 33 having advantageously deformable walls.

According to the invention, the machine guide, traction and brake members cooperate with two separate extensions 34, 35 covered with or formed from conductive materials and situated on each side of the track bearer part 32.

The traction members cooperating with the conductive extensions 34, 35 are formed by electrical windings 36 registering with the inner surface 34a, 35a of the two conductive extensions. Each winding 36 is separate from the internal surface 340 or 3511 with which it cooperates via an airgap 37. Corresponding to each winding 36 registering with a track extension 34 is a second winding 36 registering with the track extension 35 symmetrically with respect to the axis era of FIGS. 4 and 5. These two windings 36 advantageously form the movable inductors of linear motors while the two conductive extensions 34, 35 form the armatures thereof. The windings 36 receive current, advantageously polyphase current, e.g. 3- phase current, via leads 38 leading from the cabin 31.

The windings 36 are connected to the sidewalls 39 of the cabin by rigid arms 41 pivotally connected at 43 to fon'n an articulated strutting linkage allowing some transverse displacement of cabin 31 relatively to each motor unit 36. A jack 42 which is also pivotally mounted enables the air gaps 37 to be adjusted.

One or more pairs of windings 36 may be installed in the machine in this way.

Similar windings could be disposed in register with the outer surfaces of the two conductive extensions 34, 35. Each winding 36 cooperating with the inside surface of an extension would thus be associated with a similar winding of this type cooperating with the outer surface thereof.

Braking may be produced by a pair of shoes 44 disposed on each side of the cabin 31 and applied to the inner surfaces 34a, 35a of the extensions 34, 35. Each shoe 44 is connected to the sidewall 39 of the cabin by a rigid arm 45 and a jack 46, both pivotally connected at their ends 47.

The shoes 44 and the windings 36 may be interconnected by rigid or flexible structures. The jacks 46 controlling the shoes 44 receive pressure fluid via conduits 48 connected to fluid sources (not shown) which are suitably controlled.

The machine may be guided by pressure fluid cushions produced in register with the inner surfaces 340, 35a of the extensions 34, 35. The machine may alternatively be at least partly guided by rollers bearing on the surfaces 34a, 35a. The pressure fluid cushions could be confined in enclosures disposed near the ends of the machine and flexibly connected to its cabin in order to allow some relative displacement thereof. For the same purpose, some of the arms connecting the windings 36 to the cabin walls 39 could be of variable length in order to allow some displacement of said cabin 39 relatively also to the windings.

In the claims:

I. A ground effect transportation system of the type powered by linear electric induction motor means including an armature component and an inductor component a track having a base section with an upwardly facing bearing surface extending on both sides of a centerline. and extension means laterally spaced by a substantial distance from said centerline and defining two opposite laterally facing guiding surfaces projecting upwardly from said base section, said extension means incorporating one of said components, and

a ground effect machine movable along said track with the interposition of a fluid cushion formed against said bearing surface, said machine comprising a body portion borne on said fluid cushion and straddling said centerline, said body portion being laterally spaced from said extension means, a propulsion and guiding system segregated from and projecting outside said body portion to an outer position adjacent said extension means, said system incorporating the other of said components and a guiding device having oppositely acting means respectively engaging said opposite guiding surfaces for positively locating said other component in fixed closely spaced relationship with respect to said one component whereby said Lrestricted gap is maintained constant, and strutting means flexibly connecting said system to said body portion for allowing some variation in the lateral spacing of said body portion from said extension means 2. Transportation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said propulsion and guiding system comprises separate and distinct units spaced from each other along said track extension means and individually strutted flexibly to said machine body portlOl'l.

I i i i t 

1. A ground effect transportation system of the type powered by linear electric induction motor means including an armature component and an inductor component separated by a restricted gap, said transportation system comprising: a track having a base section with an upwardly facing bearing surface extending on both sides of a centerline, and extension means laterally spaced by a substantial distance from said centerline and defining two opposite laterally facing guiding surfaces projecting upwardly from said base section, said extension means incorporating one of said components, and a ground effect machine movable along said track with the interposition of a fluid cushion formed against said bearing surface, said machine comprising a body portion borne on said fluid cushion and straddling said centerline, said body portion being laterally spaced from said extension means, a propulsion and guiding system segregated from and projecting outside said body portion to an outer position adjacent said extension means, said system incorporating the other of said components and a guiding device having oppositely acting means respectively engaging said opposite guiding surfaces for positively locating said other component in fixed closely spaced relationship with respect to said one component whereby said restricted gap is maintained constant, and strutting means flexibly connecting said system to said body portion for allowing some variation in the lateral spacing of said body portion from said extension means
 2. Transportation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said propulsion and guiding system comprises separate and distinct units spaced from each other along said track extension means and individually strutted flexibly to said machine body portion. 